March 27, 2015

Do you wake up in the morning and feel soreness in your mouth and jaw area? Throughout the day, can you feel a dull, lingering headache that you just cannot seem to escape? You may have a bad habit of grinding your teeth in your sleep, a condition otherwise known as bruxism. Though it may seem like a mild or miniscule issue, bruxism can actually grow into a very serious problem over time. Fortunately, the office of Dr. Scotto-Lavino, located in Selden, NY, has a simple, effective solution to treat the condition.

How Can Teeth Grinding Become a Serious Problem?

Initially, the effects of nightly grinding are very mild, as the person will usually just feel a bit of soreness or a lingering headache. Over time, however, chronic teeth grinding can result in fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. It can also have an effect on your jaws, causing TMD/TMJ, or even change the appearance of your face.

So, how do you know if you have a bruxism? There are some telltale signs of the condition, including soreness in face or jaw muscles, feeling of tightness in jaw muscles, increased sensitivity, enamel wear, persistent headaches, flatten teeth, tooth marks, or indentations on the tongue or inner cheek lining.

How is Bruxism Treated?

The treatment of bruxism involves making a custom night guard for your mouth. When you schedule an appointment, our doctor and trained staff will examine your mouth and diagnose the condition. If bruxism is the cause of your problems, we will take an impression of your teeth and create a customized mouth guard. After you receive the guard, you will place it in your mouth at night and sleep with it in place. The guard will prevent you from grinding your teeth together, relaxing the jaw and preventing soreness, stresses, and other problems.

Get Treated Today!

It’s time to treat your nightly grinding. To avoid future oral issued due to bruxism, contact our office via email or phone and set up an appointment today. Our Selden location opens its doors to all of the communities in Long Island, including Terryville, Port Jefferson Station, Coram, Mt. Sinai, Farmingville, Centereach, and more.